Oregon, Ohio’s prolificly-winning harness racing driver Mark Headworth grabbed three wins in the second day of competition at the Henry County Fair in Napoleon, Ohio, adding to his three victories on opening night August 16, 2011 with Nanner, Trottin Brooke, and his own Connor’s Dream.
After being shut out in the first two races Wednesday, August 17, Headworth bounced Arizona Dawn to the winner’s circle in a new personal best time of 2:02-4/5 for the bay gelding son of Dawn Ofa New Day in Race 3, a three-year-old colt pace. The duo held off Buckeye Valley, Fremont, Ohio, to the wire to set the new mark in a field of seven starters.
Arizona Dawn is owned by Gary A. Gilliland of neighboring Malinta, Ohio. It was Arizona Dawn’s second win from four lifetime starts.
Lightening Watt Sets 2011 Speed Mark
Lightening Watt started Race 9 from Gate Four with owner/trainer Jason Elser in the cart. Racing from his Pioneer, Ohio, stable in a free for all pace, Lightening Watt, a four-year-old bay gelding, closed like a freight train in the home stretch. He slated his fourth lifetime win from his 26th start.
Ten-year-old bay gelding Birthday Present, of La Salle, Michigan, starting in his 216th race, led the field’s first quarter mile, but faded by the three quarter pole, as Lightening Watt surged to claim the lead and paced away from six-year-old Afternoon Star (South Lyon, Michigan), posting his 132nd start, and seven-year-old Pro North (Wolcottville, Indiana) in the eight-horse field.
Cambest grandson Lightening Watt crossed the finish line in 2:01 after the previous Race 8 offered up a turtle-fest won by Baby B of driver/trainer/owner Skip De Mull’s South Lyon, Michigan, stable in 2:14-3/5, the 2011 meet’s slowest clocking that produced the meet’s biggest struggle of lead changes. Rose Run Lee finished second in Race 8 for his owners from Defiance, Hamler, and Oakwood.
The older pacers of Race 9 also featured eight-year-old Nowthat’saplanman starting his 194th race, seven-year-old Jealous Heart making her 100th career post, and five-year-old Here Comes Mary (Burr Oak, Michigan), who got up for third in her 91st track appearance.
Henry County Fair Harness Racing Speed Records
The best ever times at the Henry County Fair include the following:
Callico Cat, 2:01.2 (2005, all age, trot) and Tattler’s Jet, 1:56.4 (2005, all age, pace) Harry’s Torpedo, 2:03.1 (2005, three-year-old colt, trot) and Striking Hawk, 2:00.1 (1994, three-year-old colt, pace) Wen Her Finale, 2:04 (1987, three-year-old filly, trot) and Peglos Dream, 1:59 (1988, three-year-old filly, pace) Baron Sahbra, 2:05 (1999, two-year-old colt, trot) and Tantaquidgeon, 2:00.3 (1994, two-year-old colt, pace) Prize Parody, 2:06.1 (2005, two-year-old filly, trot) and She’s On the Board, 2:01.1 (1992, two-year-old filly, pace)
Headworth Wins Races 4 and 6
Wonder Buns was scratched from Race 4, leaving a field of three participants. Headworth guided Jailhouse Jesse daughter Jailhouse Robbin to the early lead from Gate One and handily guided the bay filly to the winner’s circle in the two-year-old filly trot in time of 2:07-4/5.
Owned by Joe S. Ewald of Tiffin, Ohio, Jailhouse Robbin won for the third time from eight career posts. The other two trotters, Lofty Jessica (by Jailhouse Jesse) and Lil Train dead-heated for second.
In Race 6, from a gated two-tier field of eight, Headworth churned out a victory with Peach Me from Gate 7 in the second tier. The pair got a chance to gain the lead at the three quarter pole when Turbulence Force and Mystery Thriller both broke stride. Peach Me fought past Kellys Lil Girl to get the win in 2:05-1/5.
Peach Me is from the Rudolph, Ohio, stable of owner Thomas Michael Adams. A granddaughter of Super Bowl, Peach Me recorded her fourth victory from her 11th career start.
Other Winners at Henry County Fair
Beach Towel grandson One Big Tuff Dude, and Bret Hanover’s six-year-old chestnut granddaughter Erika Jo fought a battle in Race 7 among three other competitors, with One Big Tuff Dude prevailing in 2:04-3/5. The four-year-old gelding is owned by Jay D. Thompson of Kendallville, Indiana. Erika Jo campaign’s for the Cement City, Michigan, stable of Wayne E. Badders.
In Race 5, Up Front Andre did just that, getting in front and winning in 2:03-1/5 over Dirty Girl and three other foes. Up Front Andre is a five-year-old brown gelding who races for Mark E. Ward of Attica, Ohio.
Jess Perfect won Race 2 in 2:07-2/5 against four others in a two-year-old colt trot. He races for Patrick Konesky of Bowling Green, Ohio. Also a Jailhouse Jesse progeny, Jess Perfect ran his record to a fourth win from just seven starts in his fastest time to date.
Hearts got pumping in Race 1 as Our Little Filly, owned by Benjamin J. Ott of Luckey, Ohio, raced to the wire in 2:02-4/5, getting her nose past Eckley Lane Emily, who broke from the second tier in the field of six three-year-old filly pacers.